MSC has no trouble with Prout
WOONSOCKET — In the same game in the same playoff round at the same venue just a year ago, forward John Belisle needed a lucky break to score Mount St. Charles only goal in a turgid contest.
What a difference a year makes.
Friday night, in the No. 3 Mounties Division I quarterfinal against No. 6 Prout, scored more than 10 goals for the first time in over a decade. Belisle keyed the offense with two goals and four assists, while Mounties Alex Pratt, Trey Bourque and Joseph Caggiano also scored two goals in a 12-1 rout at Adelard Arena Friday night.
“We had a tremendous week of practice, we really did. We exposed the other team with our speed,” Mount coach Dave Belisle said. “Our play around the net was awesome and we scored some really nice goals. I thought our top line of Bourque, Belisle and [Cee-Jay] Laquerre were great all night long. We started slow because they played tight and were not going to let us score. But we got it going.”
“This game really showed what we can do
and we need to keep up with this momentum,” John Belisle said. “The difference this year is we finally found the right combinations and we have confidence. We were a young team last year with lots of sophomores. We gelled together nicely.”
The Mounties have a chance to return to the state semifinals after a one season absence when the teams meet for Game 2 this afternoon at 1 o’clock at URI’s Brad Boss Arena. When the teams met in Boss earlier this month, the Mounties only claimed a 4-1 victory. Dave Belisle said he gave his team Saturday off, but they’ll be ready to go today.
“We need to have a good first shift and attack them right away,” Belisle said.
The Crusaders received a third-period consolation goal from sophomore forward Zach Bell. The power-play goal was assisted by goalie Wells Masterson, who made nine saves after replacing Mitchell Lindley (22 saves).
The Mounties grabbed the opening goalie just 3:02 into the first period when seniors Alex Gonfrade and Michael Canavan created a goal for Pratt. Belisle said the Crusaders did a good job for the next few minutes controlling the tempo of the game, but the Mounties scored the game-winning goal at 9:58 when Belisle and Laquerre assisted on Bourque’s first goal of the night. Canavan scored an unassisted goal to finish the period.
Mount’s red line – consisting of Bourque, Belisle and Laquerre – tore the Crusaders apart in the second period. Bourque netted his second goal just 3:24 into the second period and then the squad’s three Cumberland kids combined for a power-play goal. Bourque and Pratt made the goal for Belisle.
For Belisle, this playoff run is particularly special because it will be the final time he’s coach by his father and his grandfather, U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Bill Belisle. With next season’s team being coach by Mount alum Matt Merten, the youngest Belisle is keen on making this playoff run last deep into March.
“I’m just going to embrace every moment knowing this is going to be the last time they’re going to be coaching me,” John Belisle said. “It’s a little sad, but our team is going to put everything on the line to reach our goal. Lately, we’ve been playing our best hockey and everything is starting to come together.”
Caggiano and Belisle added goals at the end of the second period to increase the lead to 6-0. Mount’s red line went back to work just 46 second into the third period when Laquerre scored. Bell grabbed a goal back at 2:08, but then the Mounties exploded with four goals in the second half of the period.
Ethan Letendre, Pratt, freshman Maicah Bascombe and Caggiano all scored to put the finishing touches on a dominant performance.
Mount senior goalie Ryan Forget only had to make 12 saves to earn the win.
“That’s a really good team, so to get 12 on that team is something,” Dave Belisle said. “It’s the style that we’re playing right now that is most pleasing. We’re getting real assists on goals and we’re getting beautiful plays to set up goals. It’s coming from oddman rushes and not just out forechecking. It was a great team effort. I figured we would do this because of the intensity we had in practice all week.”